Riding Alps

2

Comments

  • ugo.santalucia
    ugo.santalucia Posts: 28,325
    Lacets is just a generic reference to climbs with tight hairpins... plenty of lacets.

    Problem with "Alpe" climbs in general is that they are dead end roads... you can in theory descend via a different side, but nobody seems to do it, I suspect the other road is rough
    left the forum March 2023
  • secretsam
    secretsam Posts: 5,120
    ugo.santalucia wrote:
    Lacets is just a generic reference to climbs with tight hairpins... plenty of lacets.

    Problem with "Alpe" climbs in general is that they are dead end roads... you can in theory descend via a different side, but nobody seems to do it, I suspect the other road is rough

    It's the descending I'm really looking forward to :P
    It's just a hill. Get over it.
  • JLC
    JLC Posts: 39
    Just back from a couple of weeks stay in Bourg D'oisans after doing the Marmotte. I would recommend Bourg D'Oisans, nice town and lots of nice routes and a couple of nice campsites at the bottom of Alpe d'huez climb. Yes there is Alpe D'huez but that is probably the worse climb in the area due to traffic/views etc. Lots of lovely balcony rides near by and a different climb is shut off for traffic each week. I've also been to Annecy and the Dolomites and would say in my opinion the routes around Bourg are great and just as good if not better. Let me know if you need anymore information.
  • DeVlaeminck
    DeVlaeminck Posts: 9,108
    Alpe D'Huez is fine, it's not the most scenic climb but you'd think it was 10k through London at rush hour the way some are describing it. There are plenty of cafes at the top where you can chill and think I've just climbed Alpe D'Huez. If ŷou want to work it into a loop descend the Sarenne or the road from Huez village - that's a nice road with a very easy descent if you want to get your eye in for the downhills.

    If you are staying in the area you can download a booklet with a number of rides on it - or at least you could a few years back. I'd recommend a ride over the Ornon and back over the Col du Morte which is a wonderful fast descent though it's a bit of a slog back up the valley.
    [Castle Donington Ladies FC - going up in '22]
  • ddraver
    ddraver Posts: 26,719
    SecretSam wrote:
    rdt wrote:
    KingstonGraham wrote:
    And do you want to be supported or solo - budget obviously important in this choice. I've gone with a company fully supported in the past and loved it. All you have to do is ride, eat and sleep.

    We're all different and have different tastes, but my guess is that the OP might well have a better time if in a group on an organised trip, where someone else takes care of much of the logistics and there's a bunch to interact with (race, eat and drink with!).

    Quite some time ago I did a Vercors & Alps trip with CTC holidays, taking in at the Alps end Croix de Fer, Télégraphe, Galibier, Alpe d'Huez, Sarenne, plus many other lesser known stuff en route. Fantastic trip.

    KingstonGraham: who was your trip with/ how recent? Cheers.

    ^^This sounds fun, although am comfy in my own company and can speak a bit of French

    Can reccomend 1330 in the Tarentaise Valley. Worked for an MTB equivalent in the next village last summer and they seemed like good honest folk.
    We're in danger of confusing passion with incompetence
    - @ddraver
  • indyp
    indyp Posts: 735
    Mercia Man wrote:
    I've done cycle camping tours and fixed base road bike holidays in most of the French Alps over the last 25 years. I would recommend the northern and southern Alps more than the central area around the industrialized and busy Maurienne Valley, even though it has the superb climbs of Croix de Fer and Galibier. There's much more to the French Alps than Alpe d'Huez.

    The northern Alps has some wonderful passes often seen in the Tour de France such as the Semnoz (Cret de Chatillon) above Annecy, the Croix Fry, the Aravis, the Colombiere and the really tough and partly gravelled Glieres, as seen in the Tour this year. Annecy, Thones and La Clusaz would all make suitable bases, whether camping, hiring a chalet on a campsite or staying in a hotel. A bit south of them is Beaufort, a lovely little town with a nice municipal campsite. From there you can climb the fantastic Cormet de Roselend and Col du Pre, as seen in this year's TDF, plus the Cols of Saisies and Joly (wonderful view of Mont Blanc at the top where the tarmac ends in a gravel road).

    The southern Alps has some really high passes and more chance of hotter and drier weather. The three huge 2,000 metre-plus cols of Allos, Cayolle and Bonette (highest surfaced road in the Alps) are as challenging and scenic as it gets. And there is scope for good round routes using interlinking passes of Valberg and Champs. Barcelonette is a nice town and a good base for those passes as well as the Vars to the north. The roads are much more quiet and suitable for pleasurable cycling than the central Alps. Further south, you could base yourself at St Sauveur-s-Tinee or St Martin Vesubie, near the Italian border, with fabulous climbs into the Mercantour national park up to L'Authion and the Turini as well as scope for a round route taking in the spectacular Gorges du Cians.

    As for food, I've mostly enjoyed cooking on campsite with great local ingredients and wine but have had some excellent meals at restaurants or Logis de France and other reasonably priced hotels - no tough steaks, cheese and spuds for me.

    Brilliant, thanks for this MM it will be very helpful for my planned trip. I have picked up from other threads really good info about riding in the area and in the Pyrennes from your good self. Thanks again and apologise for hijacking the thread
  • mercia_man
    mercia_man Posts: 1,431
    Thanks for that, indyP. I’ve had some wonderful cycle touring holidays over the years. I must say that riding up and down big mountain passes with camping gear is the hardest cycling I have ever done. I love France.
  • drlodge
    drlodge Posts: 4,826
    I stayed here last year http://www.lafermedesbelugues.com/

    At the foot of Mont Ventoux, run by an English cyclist and his misses, has bike storage and workshop, superb facilities. 5 B&B rooms and a gite. Of course there are 3 ways up Ventoux but the surrounding countryside is just lovely. Downside is that there aren't other well know mountain climbs nearby although there are quite a few decent picturesque climbs within reach.
    WyndyMilla Massive Attack | Rourke 953 | Condor Italia 531 Pro | Boardman CX Pro | DT Swiss RR440 Tubeless Wheels
    Find me on Strava
  • davep1
    davep1 Posts: 837
    SecretSam wrote:
    ugo.santalucia wrote:
    Lacets is just a generic reference to climbs with tight hairpins... plenty of lacets.

    Problem with "Alpe" climbs in general is that they are dead end roads... you can in theory descend via a different side, but nobody seems to do it, I suspect the other road is rough

    It's the descending I'm really looking forward to :P

    I thought that too before my first real mountain descent. It can be so physical you end up wanting it to end - you have to be on the drops to get the best performance from your brakes, your weight is forward and on your hands, your back is flat but your head is tilted up, you probably don't know the road well so you can't let the taps open all the way, chances are there will be rain/gravel/cack on some of the corners, dicks in cars faff about unsure of whether to overtake or not, what seems a wide safe road goes into a corner that tightens and has loose shit where you want to be...

    It's still big fun but just be aware!
  • svetty
    svetty Posts: 1,904
    Another vote for Barcelonette here. Climbs are quiet and achingly beautiful. Bourg a close second but it is more commercial and busier.
    FFS! Harden up and grow a pair :D
  • drlodge
    drlodge Posts: 4,826
    DaveP1 wrote:
    ...what seems a wide safe road goes into a corner that tightens and has loose shoot where you want to be...

    It's still big fun but just be aware!

    Wise words. I came pretty darn close to going off the edge while descending Mont Ventoux towards Malaucene...going around 40mph I guess, corner coming up and underestimated my speed, time and distance it takes to slow down and how steep the corner was. Very close shave.
    WyndyMilla Massive Attack | Rourke 953 | Condor Italia 531 Pro | Boardman CX Pro | DT Swiss RR440 Tubeless Wheels
    Find me on Strava
  • dodgy
    dodgy Posts: 2,890
    If you see the word 'gravillon' on any signs, take great care. If you hit gravel while descending and you're braking, it's not nice at all.
  • durhamwasp
    durhamwasp Posts: 1,247
    Cheap flights to Toulouse or Biarritz and a hire car drive to the Pyrenees (Luz Saint Sauveur, Argeles Gazost or Luchon) and hire a bike?
    Drive to Maurienne Valley
    Drive to Bormio
    http://www.snookcycling.wordpress.com - Reports on Cingles du Mont Ventoux, Alpe D'Huez, Galibier, Izoard, Tourmalet, Paris-Roubaix Sportive & Tour of Flanders Sportive, Amstel Gold Xperience, Vosges, C2C, WOTR routes....
  • sherer
    sherer Posts: 2,460
    just back from staying at top of Alp D'Huez and have to say i loved it.. Amazing view at the top.. lots of places to eat although was a bit quiet last week. Only issue is any riding I did meant I had to finish at the top of the climb !

    Depends if you want to ride the famous climbs or just have a decent base and see what takes your fancy that day
  • mrb123
    mrb123 Posts: 4,833
    Bourg D'Oisans would be my recommendation for you. Perfect base for some of the most famous climbs including the Alpe and loads of brilliant, lesser known roads to ride. Good bike hire options.

    People criticise Alpe D'Huez but it's got to be done, like playing at Wembley for a footballer.

    The Dolomites are more beautiful but the roads are just too busy for me.
  • dodgy
    dodgy Posts: 2,890
    Maybe it's got to be done, maybe. But not before other better options. Similarly, I don't understand why people take 2 weeks off work to ride LEJOG / JOGLE, if I had 2 weeks to ride my bike it wouldn't be an end to end in the UK!
  • secretsam
    secretsam Posts: 5,120
    dodgy wrote:
    Maybe it's got to be done, maybe. But not before other better options. Similarly, I don't understand why people take 2 weeks off work to ride LEJOG / JOGLE, if I had 2 weeks to ride my bike it wouldn't be an end to end in the UK!

    Suggestions?
    It's just a hill. Get over it.
  • dodgy
    dodgy Posts: 2,890
    SecretSam wrote:
    dodgy wrote:
    Maybe it's got to be done, maybe. But not before other better options. Similarly, I don't understand why people take 2 weeks off work to ride LEJOG / JOGLE, if I had 2 weeks to ride my bike it wouldn't be an end to end in the UK!

    Suggestions?

    Take a look at @cyclingalps twitter feed, he posts some breathtaking photographs of the cols near(ish) Geneva. He has an encyclopedic knowledge of the alps and often posts routes that aren't well known, but are highly recommended and stunning. https://twitter.com/cyclingalps

    It was him (Will) that gave me the inspiration to go to Samoens and ride Joux Plane amongst many others in the area. We love that area, perfect for us both (non cycling partner). In that area you have Joux Plane, Joux Verte, Avoriaz, Ramaz, Colombiere, Aravis, Romme, Col de la croix fry, Pierre Carree and quite a few others all rideable from Samoens without car.

    All of these climbs are particularly pretty, they're well noted for it and traffic is generally light on them all.

    I can see the attraction of the Alpe, but can't see the point of 'wasting' an entire trip focused on it when the alps has so much more to offer.

    But whatever, you'll have a great time wherever you go.
  • dodgy
    dodgy Posts: 2,890
    Forgot to mention, his website is a treasure trove of alpine cycling tips. Look at this beauty (not in the centre of the alps, but a good example of what's out there) https://www.cycling-challenge.com/combe ... p-vercors/
  • dodgy
    dodgy Posts: 2,890
    Oh and finally - https://www.cycling-challenge.com/100-c ... lpe-dhuez/
  • kingstongraham
    kingstongraham Posts: 28,228
    dodgy wrote:
    I can see the attraction of the Alpe, but can't see the point of 'wasting' an entire trip focused on it when the alps has so much more to offer.

    But whatever, you'll have a great time wherever you go.

    Agree with all of that. I did it on the optional "rest" day on a tour that had quite a few of that list of climbs "better than Huez". Some of them I remember (eg Galibier), some of them I don't (eg Vars).
  • cycling-girl
    cycling-girl Posts: 10
    Hello,

    This website has lots of info on cycling in various places in France and Spain which might help you:

    Bourg d'Oisans for Alpe d'Huez, Croix de Fer etc: https://www.epicroadrides.com/destinati ... ez-region/

    Bourg Saint Maurice for the Iseran, Roseland etc: https://www.epicroadrides.com/destinati ... an-region/

    Argeles-Gazost for Tourmalet etc: https://www.epicroadrides.com/destinati ... -pyrenees/

    Girona: https://www.epicroadrides.com/destinati ... in/girona/

    Have a great trip!
  • Dorset_Boy
    Dorset_Boy Posts: 7,611
    You could consider the Route des Grandes Alpes from Lake Geneva to Nice which covers most of the well known french climbs, or the Geneva to Venice equivalent.
    If you want a base then Lake Annecy is great - if you want an easy day there's the bike path around the lake or down towards Albertville. Then plenty of climbs - Annecy to Semnoz via the Leschaux is 25+kms long, and Croix Fry, Forclaz, Colombiere are all easily accessible.
    Maurienne valley is nicer than the Grenoble to Lauteret valley (Alpe d'Huez) and has lots of high mountain passes on your doorstep as said above. There's virtually no flat road around Alpe d'Huez area, and only one road up the valley that carries all the trafiic, plus numerous tunnels between Bourg d'oisans and the Lauteret, but good for 3 or 4 days climbing.
  • durhamwasp
    durhamwasp Posts: 1,247
    Le Grand Bornand is also a lovely place, and a good climbing base.
    http://www.snookcycling.wordpress.com - Reports on Cingles du Mont Ventoux, Alpe D'Huez, Galibier, Izoard, Tourmalet, Paris-Roubaix Sportive & Tour of Flanders Sportive, Amstel Gold Xperience, Vosges, C2C, WOTR routes....
  • gavinbay
    gavinbay Posts: 144
    I live in the Hautes Alpes most of the year, link below in my signature is a guide to riding there, Izoard, Galibier etc

    I have friends who run various hotels / apartments depending on your budget, so feel free to ask questions etc
    Cycling Routes in the Hautes Alpes Serre Chevalier Briancon
  • phreak
    phreak Posts: 2,953
    dodgy wrote:
    Forgot to mention, his website is a treasure trove of alpine cycling tips. Look at this beauty (not in the centre of the alps, but a good example of what's out there) https://www.cycling-challenge.com/combe ... p-vercors/

    I rode in Vercors the other week and it really is a great place to ride a bike. On the climbs themselves, you often have the road to yourself, with most traffic using the flat bits between the towns in the park.
  • vpnikolov
    vpnikolov Posts: 568
    edited September 2018
    Quite surprised that no one suggested Morzine as a possible destination. There are a lot of great climbs that you can do there. Roads are also very quiet and scenery is amazing. Usually encountered just a bunch of cars along all of the climbs.

    You need to fly to Geneva and then drive from there, not too long of a drive!

    Some are:
    Col de la Joux Verte (Featured on TDF in 2010)
    Col de Joux Plane (Featured on TDF 2016)
    Col de la Ramaz (Featured on TDF in 2016)
    Col de l'Encrenaz
    Col du Corbier (Featured on Critérium du Dauphiné in 2012)
    Col de Pierre Carree https://www.cycling-challenge.com/col-d ... -carree-2/

    Possible routes:
    https://ridewithgps.com/routes/27378810
    https://ridewithgps.com/routes/27379387
    https://ridewithgps.com/routes/27417279
    https://ridewithgps.com/routes/27378725
    https://ridewithgps.com/routes/27374740
  • ronnierocket
    ronnierocket Posts: 172
    vpnikolov wrote:
    Quite surprised that no one suggested Morzine as a possible destination. There are a lot of great climbs that you can do there. Roads are also very quiet and scenery is amazing. Usually encountered just a bunch of cars along all of the climbs.

    You need to fly to Geneva and then drive from there, not too long of a drive!

    Some are:
    Col de la Joux Verte
    Col de Joux Plane
    Col de la Ramaz
    Col de l'Encrenaz
    Col du Corbier
    Col de Pierre Carree

    Possible routes:
    https://ridewithgps.com/routes/27378810
    https://ridewithgps.com/routes/27379387
    https://ridewithgps.com/routes/27417279
    https://ridewithgps.com/routes/27378725
    https://ridewithgps.com/routes/27374740

    I am surprised myself as I normally suggest it although I am more of a Les Gets (next door to Morzine) man myself. All great suggestion above. The top of the L'encrenaz is one of my favourite spots in the World, I prefer it from the Les Gets side, it;s more beautiful and peaceful though not as hard.

    Also the Columbiere is well within reach in a day. Plus quite a few less well know ones that I have done in the JPP sportive

    From Cluses - about 20 cycle (most downhill) from Les Gets/

    https://www.strava.com/activities/1075046799
  • vpnikolov
    vpnikolov Posts: 568
    edited September 2018
    ronnierocket wrote:

    Also the Columbiere is well within reach in a day. Plus quite a few less well know ones that I have done in the JPP sportive

    From Cluses - about 20 cycle (most downhill) from Les Gets/

    https://www.strava.com/activities/1075046799

    You should have continued further up from Les Carroz and finish the Pierre Carree climb! Incredibly quiet as it is a dead end to Flaine on the other side.

    Edit: I did not realise it is a sportive!
  • ronnierocket
    ronnierocket Posts: 172
    vpnikolov wrote:
    ronnierocket wrote:

    Also the Columbiere is well within reach in a day. Plus quite a few less well know ones that I have done in the JPP sportive

    From Cluses - about 20 cycle (most downhill) from Les Gets/

    https://www.strava.com/activities/1075046799

    You should have continued further up from Les Carroz and finish the Pierre Carree climb! Incredibly quiet as it is a dead end to Flaine on the other side.


    I was already spent at the end of the Sportive!!!

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